Chestnut Ridge zoning, food trucks rules on planning agenda

The Baltimore County Planning Board is set to hear public comment Thursday on a former golf course and country club off of Falls Road in Lutherville that’s been the subject of a zoning dispute.

A public hearing about the former Chestnut Ridge Country Club is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the Jefferson Building, located at 105 Chesapeake Ave. in Towson.

The County Council voted last year to limit development on the approximately 230-acre property, following the recommendation of Councilwoman Vicki Almond, a Reisterstown Democrat who represents the district where the site is located. Residents in the area were worried about environmental damage and traffic congestion that could arise from residential building on the land.

The company that bought the property, CR Golf Club LLC , had planned to build about 85 homes on the property, according to a lawsuit the firm filed against the council last year.

The new zoning limits the development potential to about nine homes.

The company, which has ties to Cignal Corp. in Timonium, has now filed a petition with the county to reinstate the previous zoning, arguing that the previous classification is consistent with other land surrounding the former golf course.

The county planning office has recommended reinstating the previous zoning.

The Planning Board is also scheduled to hear testimony regarding proposed changes in county laws regarding where food trucks are allowed to operate, especially in downtown Towson.

Current county regulations say a food truck cannot park within 100 feet of an existing restaurant, but some restaurant owners say that is too close.